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Topic: Lower Rev LO rod for '69 Z28 (late) (Read 1997 times)

Two or three years ago, when I first began digging thru my garage for the 'original' parts I'd removed since purchase in 1976, I've been looking for the Rev LO rod that I'd removed and 'stuck in the garage' when I installed new headers that interfered with the lower LO rod. (The headers that were on the car when I bought it in '76 (that I think were Hedman?) had not conflicted with the rod, but they eventually rusted out.) I'd dug thru all the most likely places in my garage several times looking for that rod I'd removed, but hadn't found it until today. In fact, I'd even went ahead and purchased a 'reproduction' 5773' rod to use.

Today, while digging out my '57 Nomad parts (that I hadn't seen in 20 yrs or so.. , I FOUND the rod... of course, I came out with a "EUREKA, I found it". Once cleaned up where I could read the engraved PN, I found a different number! (5776) .. See photos of comparison between the two rods (original and repro). Is the '5773 pn correct? Did they change that part or PN at the tail end of '69 (my car is an 09C - Sept '69 - production. HELP!!

My car has never had anything but the original 302 in it... and I've never owned a big block anything ... .. These two parts seem, if not identical, essentially so...?? Did they use the alternate parts sometimes for other application maybe during shortages of one part? I know the Rev LO rod is most often missing on 40+ yr old Z28s (due to removal for headers), but has anyone else here found the 5776 part on a Z28??

Confirmed the numbers above in my Sept 1970 P/A catalog... If anyone has an original GM 5773 that they would like to trade for a GM original 5776 (for big block) I'd trade.. Otherwise, I'd rather use this original 5776 than a repro 5773..

The Muncie rods for small block (5773) and big block (5776) are both available via repro for around $30, but as Eddie pointed out to me in a PM, there are noticeable differences in the way the ends are formed.

I just made some additional photos this morning, and photographed that difference. (See photo comparison). I thought it was very interesting that there was only a very slight difference in length betwen the BB orig 5776 and the SB repro 5773 (maybe 1/8"?), and my 69Z28 had the BB 5776 rod on it when purchased in 1976 (and it cleared the headers that were on the car at that time). It's difficult for me to see why they had different rods as there is also only very slight differences in 'bends' (both are almost straight).

Very interesting.. How long have you owned that car to know that it 'came with it' from the factory? If so, taht makes 'two possibilities' that they may have installed 5776 rods on Z28. I wonder if there are others?? Anyone else? Please speak up..

Very interesting.. How long have you owned that car to know that it 'came with it' from the factory? If so, taht makes 'two possibilities' that they may have installed 5776 rods on Z28. I wonder if there are others?? Anyone else? Please speak up..

I would not doubt that BB rods were installed at the factory since they will physically interchange.